1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to cooling devices for beverages, and particularly to reusable cooling devices that are frozen and then removably attached to the inside base of a drinking vessel to cool a beverage contained therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
The most common method used to cool a beverage or to maintain a cold beverage temperature is to place one or more frozen cubes of ice directly in the beverage. While this is certainly an effective beverage cooling method placing ice cubes in a beverage does present some problems. Specifically, when the frozen ice cubes melt, the beverage becomes diluted with water. This diminishes the beverage taste and sacrifices beverage quality. In order to overcome this problem, various beverage cooling devices have been developed in the related art. In particular, a number of known beverage cooling devices propose using a frozen liquid within a sealed housing or body. In most instance, the wall of the sealed body is composed of an impermeable membrane which permits heat transfer between the beverage and the frozen liquid inside of the sealed body. As the frozen liquid melts, the impermeable membrane wall of the sealed body will contain the melted liquid and not allow the beverage to become diluted.
The U.S. patent to Leonard, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,501, discloses a beverage cooling apparatus having a body with a sealed hollow interior. A freezable material is filled within the hollow interior and is completely sealed within the body so that it cannot leak therefrom. A suction cup is threadably attached to the bottom of the body and a first ring, constructed of insulating material, encompasses the top of the body.
One major drawback of the Leonard, et al. beverage cooling device is the lack of any means for easy removal of the suction cup from the base of the vessel. To illustrate further, in order to remove the Leonard device from the bottom of a drinking vessel, a user must first manually unscrew the sealed freezable body and then separate it from the suction cup. After separating the freezable sealed body from the suction cup, the suction cup remains attached to the base of the vessel. The suction cup must then be removed by reaching inside of the drinking vessel and pulling on a tab extending from the suction cup.
It is well known that a suction cup that is attached to a smooth surface, such as the base of a glass or smooth plastic drinking vessel, is difficult to remove. As exemplified in the Leonard, et al. patent disclosure, the common method for suction cup removal is to manually pull up on an extending tab in order to compromise the seal between the suction cup and surface, thereby breaking the vacuum under the suction cup and causing the suction cup to release from the surface.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,501, Leonard, et al. state that one object of the invention is to xe2x80x9cprovide a beverage cooling device that is used within a pitcher or other similar open topped container.xe2x80x9d This implies that the invention of Leonard, et al. is designed for use with a pitcher, or a like container having a large opening and containing a large hollow cavity. It is obvious that a small vessel with a narrow opening will introduce a problem when attempting the manual removal of the suction cup by reaching to the bottom of the vessel and pulling a tab. Indeed, it may be difficult to reach the tab if the vessel is deep and narrow. In some instances, a user would have to pick at the tab of the suction cup with one finger in order to lift up the outside corner flap of the suction cup. In other cases, a user""s hand and/or fingers will not fit between the body of the cooling device and the side of the vessel in attempting to reach the bottom; particularly if the vessel is somewhat small or narrow (e.g., a cup, mug or drinking glass). The user would then be required to use an alternative device to pick at the suction cup in an attempt to lift up the corner flap. Thus, a tool or pick shaped device or the like would have to be utilized to pry off the suction cup stuck on the bottom of a small drinking vessel. This method of suction cup removal is inconvenient, clumsy, and time consuming. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,501, Leonard, et al. further disclose pivot means located on the stem of the suction cup to permit back and forth pivoting of the body relative to the suction cup. This further demonstrates that the invention as disclosed by Leonard, et al. is designed to pivot back and forth and still remain attached to the base of a drinking vessel. As illustrated in FIG. 5 in the drawing sheets of U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,501, the pivot action makes the disclosed invention difficult to remove from the base of a drinking vessel. Thus, manually pushing the Leonard, et al. cooling device from side to side on the top of the body will not remove the device, and particularly the suction cup, from the base of a drinking vessel.
The beverage cooling device of Leonard, et al. presents a further problem with regards to cleanliness and safe hygiene. Specifically, the threaded engagement of the suction cup to the body may allow a beverage to seep in between the female and male threads. Threaded parts that are not properly sealed are common breeding grounds for various bacteria. As the Leonard, et al. beverage cooling device is submerged in a vessel containing a consumable beverage, the beverage may seep between the male and female threads. The freezable sealed body should be separated from the suction cup for proper cleaning after use. Thus, the Leonard, et al. device should be disassembled into two parts prior to proper cleaning. This is undesirable because it is time consuming and parts may get lost during the cleaning process.
With some beverage cooling devices, the entire vessel must be placed in a refrigerator. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,970,737 to Downey discloses a freezer pitcher comprising a container having an open top with a generally annular interior wall and a generally annular exterior wall radially spaced apart to form a cavity therebetween. A freezable liquid is disposed within the cavity for maintaining the container at a cool temperature for a determinable time interval, so as to keep a beverage placed within the container cool. This is undesirable because the entire freezer pitcher will occupy a large volume of space when stored in a household refrigerator.
Other beverage cooling devices in the related art employ a two-part design that includes a cooling insert that works in combination with a specially designed vessel. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,039 to Green, et al., a cooling cartridge is used in combination with a drinking bottle. Likewise in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,087 to Vinarsky, a thermal chiller pack fits into the bottle interior via a bottom wall opening, and is removably sealed as a unit in the bottle. Also, in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,877 to Thomas, a baby bottle with recessed bottom for the removable receipt of a cold substance is disclosed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,892 to Roberts discloses a container that keeps liquids cold includes an upstanding hollow post that defines an upstanding cavity having an open end at the lowermost end of the container. A frozen plug is inserted into the cavity from the lowermost end and locked into place. Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,405 to Cheng discloses a cold-preserving cup mounting comprising a first mid-hollow cup and a second hollow stick. The hollow stick is firmly screwed to the mid-hollow cup from the bottom hole. This arrangement permits anyone to enjoy chilly drinks provided the hollow stick is first refrigerated before being screwed into the mid-hollow cup. Finally, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,173 to Pimm, et al., a drinking vessel is disclosed, wherein an ice container mounts within the vessel for cooling the vessel contents without diluting the contents. Alternatively, a heat chamber for burning fuel serves to heat the vessel contents. The ice container is removably mounted in the vessel by magnetic members, or by snap engaging members, or by mating threads on the vessel and the container. One major drawback with a device which combines a cooling insert with a specially designed container is that the cooling insert is not universal and thus cannot be used with any standard drinking vessel, pitcher, mug or cup.
With the foregoing in mind, it is the principle object of the present invention to provide an improved beverage cooling device including: a main body filled with a freezable material; a suction cup fixedly attached to the main body for releasably attaching the device to an inner surface of a fluid carrying vessel; and means for breaking a vacuum seal between the suction cup and inner surface of the vessel by manipulating the main body, thereby allowing for release and removal of the device from the vessel, as a one-piece integral unit, without having to reach deep into the vessel in order to pry the suction cup free.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved beverage cooling device including a body containing a freezable substance and a suction cup permanently attached to the bottom of the sealed body for providing means to attach the sealed body and suction cup to the bottom of a drinking vessel by exerting force in a downward motion to the top of the sealed body and thereby causing the suction cup to depressurize to form a vacuum between the suction cup and the bottom of the drinking vessel.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved beverage cooling device having means for easy removal of the sealed body and suction cup from the base of the vessel as an integral unit.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved beverage cooling device which is manufactured as a one-piece integral unit, thereby providing means for easy washing and proper hygiene without the possibility of losing separated parts.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved beverage cooling device that is compact and small in size to order to efficiently occupy a minimal amount of space in a refrigerator or freezer during the freezing process.
The present invention is directed to a beverage cooling device and includes a main body defined by an impermeable membrane wall surrounding and encapsulating a sealed interior chamber which is filled with a freezable material. The membrane wall is structured and disposed to permit heat transfer between a liquid beverage surrounding the main body and the frozen material contained within the interior chamber. A suction cup, fixed and integral with the bottom of the main body, permits removable attachment of the device to the inside base of a drinking vessel which is subsequently filled with the beverage. One or more flexible appendages connect between an outside rim of the suction cup and the main body to permit easy removal of the device from the drinking vessel by pushing the top of the main body in a side to side manner so that the one or more flexible appendages pull and lift on the outside rim of the suction cup, thereby compromising the vacuum seal between the suction cup and the drinking vessel and releasing the device.